Bone Machine

The body is discovered in a disused burial ground. A young woman, ritualistically mutilated, her eyes and mouth crudely sewn shut. Her boyfriend is arrested and charged with the murder.

He might have a vicious temper and a history of violence towards women, but is Michael Nell really a killer? Michael’s lawyer doesn’t think so. She’s hired Joe Donovan to prove his alibi.

Donovan’s investigations lead him into the murky world of people trafficking and illegal prostitution. But when the second body shows up, he realises it’s not just local gangsters he’s up against – but a deranged serial killer. A killer obsessed with the city’s dark history. A killer who leaves clues pointing to his twisted plan. And if Donovan and his team can’t decipher those messages in time, a killer who will kill again…

Rights Sales:

Reviews:

“A whiplash plot combined with contemporary issues results in that rarest of feats: a blockbuster with soul.” Cathi Unsworth, The Guardian

“The book ends with a real punch of a cliffhanger…ensuring that readers will want to return for the next instalment.” EuroCrime

“Waites’ novel is rich in quirky characterisation, using popular culture to breathe life into his antiquated archetypes in a simplistic yet effective fashion…a highly entertaining, shamefully addictive read.” The Crack